An NOPD officer experienced grave injuries while responding to a call that led to a deadly officer-involved shooting on Friday. The incident began when the officer, working a paid detail, was summoned to confront a situation in the parking lot of a Walmart on Tchoupitoulas Street, involving a man in the throes of a potential overdose, NOPD News reports.
According to the NOPD, at approximately 10:37 a.m., as the officer administered Narcan to the individual, the suspect took off suddenly in the vehicle, dragging the officer along. The officer, while caught to the side of the moving vehicle, fired her weapon, hitting the suspect. After being flung free, and landing under a second car, the officer sustained multiple injuries and is receiving treatment at a local hospital, where she is listed in stable condition.
The NOPD states that the suspect managed to drive away from the scene, only to crash into another vehicle shortly after on Rousseau Street. Despite the NOPD Emergency Medical Responder officers' efforts at the crash site, the suspect was later pronounced dead at a hospital. An investigation into the incident is currently being conducted by the NOPD Public Integrity Bureau's Force Investigation Team, and the officer involved has been reassigned administratively, pending results.
A related casualty occurred during the event, as a female bystander in the Walmart parking lot was struck by the suspect's fleeing vehicle. She was promptly transported for medical care for her injuries. The NOPD has not released further details regarding her condition.
